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The Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) of 2011 (pronounced “fiz-muh”) requires that breweries, wineries, cideries and distilleries follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) to keep consumers safe. This may seem like a daunting task for breweries that are just getting started or have a small staff. The regs were originally designed for food manufacturers until the FDA deemed beer “food” in 2011. As of September 2018, all breweries - regardless of size - must comply. It can b …

If you follow FDA recalls , the words “possible foreign matter contamination” are a very common (almost weekly) cause. Put simply, it refers to any extraneous matter, whether physical, chemical or biological, found in food. And remember, food includes beverages, bottled water and nutritional products. Typically, the foreign bodies render the food unfit for human (or pet) consumption. Recalls can be very costly for food manufacturers. Indirect costs of potential fines, lawsuits, s …

It is estimated that 30% of drains in food and beverage production facilities test positive for Listeria. Is Listeria lurking in your Brewery or Food Processing Plant floor drainage systems? What is Listeria? In the past 20 years, Listeria Monocytogenes has become a major concern to the food industry. The CDC estimates that Listeria is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness, or food poisoning, in the United States. Each year, 1,600 Americans contract listeriosis. …

With the increase in therapies and other consumer products derived from cannabis and its components, including cannabidiol (CBD), various federal, state and county agencies are beginning to regulate the industry for compliance. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets high standards for food and pharmaceutical industries to ensure the safety of the consumer. CBD-based food products fall under existing food safety regulations - namely the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) . T …

Breweries are often pet-friendly places to share a drink with friends. People love their dogs as much as they love beer. But did you know that hops, a key ingredient to a lot of beers, is poisonous to dogs and, more rarely, cats? Hops are the flowers from the plant Humulus Lupulus. Brewers use hops for flavor and as a stability agent. They come in several forms including dried flowers, plugs or pellets. The toxic component of the plant is unknown, but essential oils, resins, phe …